


The Future Holds

by BugontheRug



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-13 01:15:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20165719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BugontheRug/pseuds/BugontheRug
Summary: Sequel to The Future Awaits. Rick and Daryl wake up.





	The Future Holds

**Author's Note:**

> There was supposed to be some angst, but it didn't quite fit, so maybe in another fic ;). I have also been reading a lot of star trek fic recently so don't mind some familiar names.

Daryl blinked his eyes open, squinting against the bright light. He raised a hand to cover his face and felt a tug. Looking over, he saw an IV line taped to his arm. He heard beeping and voices and he tried to sit up and was gently pushed back.

“Relax, Mr. Grimes. We’ll raise the bed.” Daryl felt the bed pushing against his back until he was seated. “Here’s some water. Sip slowly.” He took small sips as he studied the nurse. She had a white cap pinned to her blonde hair that matched her white scrubs with blue trimming.

“Now, do you remember where you are?”

“Yea, I voluntarily froze myself an’ I guess since I’m unfrozen yer gonna tell me if a cure has been found or not.”

“We’ll get to that in a moment. First, we need to run some tests and make sure everything looks good.”

“Alright, ma’am. But ‘fore that, can you tell me how my husband is?”

“Let me see.” She pulled out a tablet and Daryl watched her fingers dance across the screen. “It seems you requested to be woken up first to hear the news about your husband. Now hold on while I let the doctor know you’re awake.”

Daryl watched her go with confusion. News about Rick? He never requested anything.

***

The nurse ran her tests and finally, after what seemed like hours, the doctor came in.

“Hello Daryl, I’m Dr. McCoy. How are you feeling?”

“’M fine. A little tired an’ groggy an’ a bit stiff, but otherwise I feel fine.” 

“Good,” he said with a bright smile. “Now for the good news. It’s only taken two hundred years, but you’ve been cured.”

Daryl felt his heart speed up. Was he dreaming? Still locked away under ice? Or was he finally free of the thing that’s been slowly killing him since his teens?

“Cured? Don’t ya mean you have the cure and I gotta go through treatment?”

“Nope, we were able to administer the treatment while you were under and monitored any changes in your health.”

“But I didn’t agree to pay for that.” Not that he wasn’t going to. He would do anything to get rid of this disease. He wanted to grow old with Rick. Become that cranky old man yelling at kids to get off his lawn and leer at Rick as he danced his way through dinner.

“You didn’t have to pay. A lot has changed since you went under. Health care is a human right and all are treated at no cost, whether you’re from Earth or Epsilon IV.”

Daryl was dumbfounded. He knew if he woke up it would be in the future, but he never imagined what that future would look like. He definitely didn’t plan for space travel. He smiled thinking of how excited Rick was going to be when he found out.

“Now if there are no further questions, Nurse Chapel is waking up your husband. When he’s finished with his series of tests you’ll be taken to the orientation room to be caught up with what you’ve missed and find out what your next step will be.

“Thank you, Doctor.” Doctor McCoy gave his shoulder a squeeze before leaving the room.

***

After staring at the wall for a while and then spending time trying to figure out how the tv remote thing worked before giving up, the nurse entered wheeling Rick in.

“Daryl!”

“Rick!”

They both tried to stand and fell into a heap together.

“Careful! Your muscles have to remember how to work after being dormant for so long! I’ll grab another nurse. Don’t move.” Nurse Chapel said sternly.

Daryl barely heard her with Rick in his arms whispering “I love you darlin’” into his ear. He could feel tears running down his cheeks and Rick’s dampening his hospital gown.

“They were supposed to wake me up first darlin’. You weren't supposed to go through this alone.”

Daryl held him back to look into his beautiful blue eyes. “It’s fine Rick. I’m cured! They cured me while we were asleep.”

Fresh tears filled Rick’s eyes as he pulled Daryl in. “Oh my god. Oh my god, Daryl.” The kiss Daryl received was forceful and maddening and he wished he had more time before the nurse returned to reunite with Rick. But they had time now and he was excited to see what the future holds in store for them.


End file.
